Land near Georgetown.

Georgetown-area acreage: Edwards Aquifer screening, ETJ rules and project review

For Georgetown-area land, the first question is where the parcel sits: inside city limits, in Georgetown’s ETJ, or outside both. The City’s Development Manual describes the Unified Development Code as covering City limits and the ETJ, while listing additional subdivision, stormwater, driveway and sign review in the ETJ. It also points buyers to interactive maps for boundaries, zoning, future land use and utility information. The manual is dated September 2023, so confirm current requirements and the assigned reviewer before relying on a map or listing description.

The Edwards Aquifer is another parcel-specific screen in western Williamson County. Georgetown’s manual points to recharge, water-quality, spring, stream and karst-feature considerations. TCEQ says only portions of the aquifer are regulated and provides its Edwards Aquifer Map Viewer for zone screening. TCEQ says applicable protection plans must be reviewed and approved before covered building activity, and that construction activity such as acreage clearing in recharge or contributing zones may trigger program requirements. A map result does not settle which approvals a particular project needs; ask the City and TCEQ’s Austin Regional Office about the surveyed tract and proposed work.

Subdivision and septic questions should be checked separately. Williamson County says newly created lots under five acres in Georgetown city limits or ETJ undergo platting, while its OSSF program accepts applications online and asks users to verify requirements for the address. Review the recorded plat, parcel history, soil evaluation and utility-service area, then confirm current City and County review steps before estimating time or improvement costs.

Facts to help plan the next check

• Georgetown’s Development Manual says the City’s Unified Development Code regulates development in City limits and its ETJ. The 2023 manual states that the ETJ is not subject to zoning but remains subject to subdivision rules and City review of subdivision, stormwater, driveway and sign matters; confirm current applicability with the City.
• The City’s manual describes interactive maps for city limits, ETJ, zoning, future land use and utilities, and recommends open-records requests for existing plats or past permits.
• Georgetown’s Development Manual describes the Edwards Aquifer beneath much of western Williamson County and identifies recharge, water-quality, spring, stream and karst considerations as matters to screen for a specific project.
• TCEQ says its Edwards Aquifer Protection Program regulates activities with potential to pollute the aquifer and requires applicable plans to be reviewed and approved before covered building activity on regulated zones.
• TCEQ says only portions of the aquifer are regulated and directs users to its map viewer to check whether a project is over a regulated zone. The viewer notes that regulatory boundaries are based on official maps and previous geologic interpretations.
• TCEQ says construction activities, including acreage clearing, in recharge and contributing zones may require Edwards Aquifer program review, and directs Williamson County project questions to its Austin Regional Office.
• Williamson County says newly created lots under five acres in Georgetown city limits or ETJ undergo platting and accepts OSSF applications through MyGovernment Online. Confirm the exact platting, septic and review path with the responsible offices.
• Williamson County approved subdivision-regulation revisions effective immediately for new applications received on or after March 4, 2025.

Parcel-specific next checks

1. Match the listing pin to the deed, survey, County account and legal description.
2. Check Georgetown city limits and ETJ on the City’s current interactive map and ask Planning which code and review authority applies.
3. Use the TCEQ Edwards Aquifer Map Viewer to screen the exact parcel for recharge, transition or contributing-zone status; save the dated result and confirm its limits with TCEQ.
4. Ask the City and TCEQ whether the proposed construction, clearing, stormwater work, driveway or subdivision requires a City permit, geologic assessment, water-quality acknowledgement or Edwards Aquifer protection plan.
5. Request the recorded plat, deed history, easements, City permits and prior development records; verify subdivision status with Williamson County and the City.
6. Check County OSSF records and confirm whether the address requires an OSSF, what soil evaluation and design are needed, and which office accepts the application.
7. Confirm electric, water and wastewater service and extension costs with the actual providers. A map line is not a service commitment.
8. Recheck current City development documents and County subdivision revisions because requirements can change; do not rely on the 2023 manual without confirming it remains current.

Sources

• City of Georgetown — Unified Development Code and Development Manual ↗
• TCEQ — Edwards Aquifer Protection Program ↗
• TCEQ — Edwards Aquifer Map Viewer ↗
• TCEQ — Stormwater Permits and the Edwards Aquifer ↗
• Williamson County — Builder and OSSF application guidance ↗
• Williamson County — Subdivision regulation revisions ↗

Research checked 2026-11-06. Confirm current details for the exact parcel.

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